


Refugee

by Mafalda_Fan_183



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Identity Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24448633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mafalda_Fan_183/pseuds/Mafalda_Fan_183
Summary: As I was rewatching Avatar for the umteenth time, I thought “hey what about that girl Zuko went on that date with that one time?”And came up with this.
Relationships: Jin/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 323





	Refugee

“I wonder if they will let me have my shop back.” Iroh wondered aloud. 

“I’m sure I can arrange something.” 

Iroh smiled. “Perhaps some other day. For now, I am needed elsewhere.”

Zuko smiled back. It was strange being back here, and back here trying to un-conquer the city. 

He traveled with guards, of course. He wasn’t too popular in the city, at least he assumed. He had his more loyal guards picked out to bring with him and only the most loyal protecting him. Droves of fire nation guards meant to keep the city quelled were already escorted from the city, and now the colonizers were being removed. All were promised help setting up a new life so long as they cooperated.

The lower ring was last. The people here were the colonizers trying to flee the fire nation. They were poor back in the homeland and wanted to move somewhere they would be superior. They were the hardest to convince to leave. They had much better lives here, and while that was undoubtedly true, they could only have that on the backs of the earth kingdom citizens. 

The lead guard approached and bowed to him. “We have gotten the last of the forces out of the city. All are accounted for.”

“Good. And the colonizers?”

“We are doing what we can, but the records are not as well kept.”

Zuko nodded. “Do what you can. We can always leave and come back in a few months to check if any of them crawled from their holes.”

The guard bowed again and left off to do… Whatever.

“Do not be so harsh, Prince- Fire Lord Zuko. They just wanted a better life.”

Zuko sighed. As always, His uncle was right. Even if it was the suffering of others that provided that better life, not everyone understood that.

He went to move forward and reason with more of these people personally, if the Fire Lord himself says something will happen they tend to trust it more, when shouting stopped him.

“He’s not a colonizer!”

Zuko rolled his eyes. Here we go, someone’s upset.

“He’s a refugee, let him stay!”

Zuko turned around, but his guards were faster. They had their weapons up blocking the angry person from their leader. 

“Other people will vouch for him! Lee shouldn't have to leave!”

Wait a moment, he recognized that voice. “Jin?” He called.

Jin stood on her tiptoes barely able to look over the weapons. “I’ll vouch for you and your uncle if you want to stay.”

Zuko waved his hand as a signal for the guards to stand down.

Jin ran over and hugged him, the guards looking shocked. She stepped back and looked at his clothes.

“Nice robes, you moved up quick huh.”

Zuko’s face did not change. “We have a lot to talk about.”

… 

Jin held her tongue for the walk. She held her tongue as the guards followed. She held her tongue as the people stared at them walking by but seeing the royal carriage finally broke her resolve. 

“What is going on here?” She asked sternly.

A guard opened the door and bowed to Zuko.

“We can talk inside.” Zuko gestured for her to enter first. 

She stared at him skeptically.

“Please.”

She sighed and stepped inside, Zuko behind her.

She sat down and immediately a cup of tea was put in front of her and Zuko once he sat as well.

“Must have been some tea shop to get all this.” Jin said sarcastically.

Zuko sighed. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you.”

“I really thought you were a refugee. Even after I found out that you’re a fire bender, I thought you fled the nation. I didn’t realize that you were here to take the last Earth Kingdom stronghold!” She snapped. 

“No! No, it’s not like that. I really was fleeing the fire nation.”

“And yet you’re wearing their robes.”

Zuko sighed. “Can I start from the beginning?”

Jin nodded, grabbing her tea and leaning back in her seat. She sipped her tea.

“My real name is Fire Lord Zuko.”

She should not have sipped the tea, she nearly choked. Zuko stood as if to help and Jin raised her hand to stop him. She quickly regained her composure. 

He went on to explain how he was banished from the fire nation and how he got his scar. “I really was a refugee. I really was fleeing the fire nation. That part wasn’t a lie.”

“Were you part of conquering ba sing se?”

Zuko averted his eyes. “Not really. I wasn’t accepted back into the fire nation until after.”

“But you didn’t help.” 

Zuko sighed.

“Go on.” Jin prompted.

“I had everything I had been searching for all those years.” Zuko confessed. “My father loved me, I had my home back. Everything, but I wasn’t happy. I knew what we were doing, what I was doing, was wrong. So I ran away. I ran away to teach Avatar Aang firebending.”

Luckily Jin wasn’t drinking this time. “What?”

Zuko chuckled.

“And he let you? After everything?”

“Well, it wasn’t easy. They didn’t trust me at first.” 

Jin chuckled. “No kidding.”

Zuko smiled. “But they learned to. And I was able to teach Aang firebending. Once he subdued my father I took over as Fire Lord. Now I want to decolonize the Earth Kingdom.”

“So you were heir to the throne this whole time?”

Zuko nodded.

“That’s wild.”

Zuko smiled. “It is.”

They sat in silence for a moment, sipping tea.

“Come with me.” Zuko suddenly spoke.

“What?”

“Come with me, back to the Fire Nation. You and your family could be ambassadors or something. I can get you a better life. I owe you that much.”

“Owe me?”

Zuko nodded. “Even after you found out that I’m a firebender, you didn’t turn me in. You kept coming to the shop, you still treated me with kindness.”

Jin paused in though. “I can bring my whole family?”

Zuko nodded. 

“Okay.”

Zuko smiled.


End file.
